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November 18, 2008
Two new Apple devices - One hit and one miss.
Just picked up a couple of new gadgets from Apple recently, a 4th Generation Ipod Nano and an Iphone 3G. Let's call them "miss" and "hit".
I've had a 1st Gen Nano for several years and it has served me well. Small, functional and reliable. I decided to pick up an additional Nano when the GT-R came because it has an Ipod adapter, and I didn't feel like schlepping the Gen 1 back and forth between the car, gym (where I have an Ipod dock) and my bag. Since I loved my old Nano, I figured that would be a fine choice. Turns out it wasn't so simple. The 4th Gen is a thing of beauty aesthetically, small and lithe. It also has great features and a couple of fun games. But it also has two flaws, one of which is fatal. First, it seems to have much shorter battery life than my 1st Gen. That is livable, but annoying. Second, Apple decided to change the charging port on the 4th Gen and it doesn't charge in my sound dock or when attached in the car. It is the only device in their stable which doesn't charge on older plugs. This means I couldn't leave it in the car or on my sound dock without having to bring it in for charging all the time. Put together a short battery life with having to charge it all the time and you have an untenable situation. My guess is that the smaller form factor of the 4th Gen made them compromise on the charging plug pins. Whatever the reason, it earns a hearty thumbs-down for what should be a great device.
I'd been coveting the Iphone for awhile and fighting the temptation to get one, but I finally lost the battle. The tipping point was browsing through the AppStore and seeing all of the fun things I could carry around on a phone. My BlackBerry Curve was a solid performer, but very utilitarian. The Iphone is anything but a wallflower. So now I have a phone, mp3 player, video player, computer and mobile gaming platform all in one device. What else can you ask for?
I've had a 1st Gen Nano for several years and it has served me well. Small, functional and reliable. I decided to pick up an additional Nano when the GT-R came because it has an Ipod adapter, and I didn't feel like schlepping the Gen 1 back and forth between the car, gym (where I have an Ipod dock) and my bag. Since I loved my old Nano, I figured that would be a fine choice. Turns out it wasn't so simple. The 4th Gen is a thing of beauty aesthetically, small and lithe. It also has great features and a couple of fun games. But it also has two flaws, one of which is fatal. First, it seems to have much shorter battery life than my 1st Gen. That is livable, but annoying. Second, Apple decided to change the charging port on the 4th Gen and it doesn't charge in my sound dock or when attached in the car. It is the only device in their stable which doesn't charge on older plugs. This means I couldn't leave it in the car or on my sound dock without having to bring it in for charging all the time. Put together a short battery life with having to charge it all the time and you have an untenable situation. My guess is that the smaller form factor of the 4th Gen made them compromise on the charging plug pins. Whatever the reason, it earns a hearty thumbs-down for what should be a great device.
I'd been coveting the Iphone for awhile and fighting the temptation to get one, but I finally lost the battle. The tipping point was browsing through the AppStore and seeing all of the fun things I could carry around on a phone. My BlackBerry Curve was a solid performer, but very utilitarian. The Iphone is anything but a wallflower. So now I have a phone, mp3 player, video player, computer and mobile gaming platform all in one device. What else can you ask for?
